Ahead of the Game.

Menu

Wednesday Roundup — Dec. 13, 2017

News Roundups are posted every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday morning with quick hits on what you may have missed and what is still to come in the soccer world.

Welcome to Wednesday’s News Roundup. Here’s what you may have missed and what is still to come in the soccer world.

Philadelphia Union

Erik Ayuk Returns From Loan, Has Contract Exercised

On Tuesday, the Philadelphia Union announced the return of Cameroonian winger Eric Ayuk, who had previously been on loan with Jönköpings Södra IF in Sweden’s top-flight. The Union exercised the midfielder’s option for the upcoming 2018 Major League Soccer campaign.

Union sporting director Earnie Stewart had this to say about Ayuk:

“Exercising Eric’s option is another important move for us as we continue to build a young core here in Philadelphia. He performed well during his loan stint in Sweden, receiving valuable playing time at a high level. We look forward to helping him take the next step in his development here in Philadelphia.”

During his loan stint, Ayuk made 12 league appearances, including a lone cup appearance, tallying one goal in a match against Hammarby Fotboll on May 28.

Ayuk has made 29 league appearances for the Union, spanning the 2015 and 2016 seasons. He is currently the youngest player in club history to play a complete match at 18 years and 74 days (May 2, 2015; Toronto Football Club).

At the international level, Ayuk has experience playing for Cameroon’s youth teams.

In 2017, Ayuk represented the U-20s in the 2017 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations tournament. There, he scored Cameroon’s lone goal in their Group Stage opener, a 3-1 defeat to South Africa on Feb. 27, 2017 and another in their second match, a 4-1 victory over Sudan on March 2.

According to sources close to ESPN’s Taylor Twellman, the current New York Cosmos boss is set to manage the Portland Timbers, replacing Porter, who resigned last month, and swapping the NASL for MLS.

Savarese has a regular season record of 65-26-51 and has captured three league titles during his time with the Cosmos.

Atlanta United on the Verge of Signing Portland’s Darlington Nagbe

In a move that can best be described as a “salary dump” for Portland, sources have also informed Twellman that Atlanta is in the “final stages” of acquiring Timbers’ midfielder, Darlington Nagbe.

A deal for Nagbe was first reported by New York City Metro’s, Kristian Dyer.

Global

Burnley Move to Fourth in the English Premier League

Burnley defeated Stoke City 1-0 on Tuesday night to move into a coveted Champions League position. Yes, you read that correctly.

Ashley Barnes’s goal at the death, in Tuesday night’s match at Turf Moor, helped fire Sean Dyche’s team into fourth place in the EPL. It is the highest position the Clarets have occupied in 40 years.

Currently, Burnley sit four points behind second-placed Manchester United and Chelsea. Here’s a look at the rest of the English Premier League table, as it stands.

Juventus Vice-President’s Message to Paulo Dybala

On Tuesday, Vice-President Pavel Nedved urged the Argentinian star to focus more on his football and figure out his private life.

Nedved’s advice comes after Dybala’s recent dip in form, in which the forward has scored one goal in eight matches. Dybala’s goalscoring drought prompted coach Massimiliano Allegri to drop the forward in Juve’s recent match against Inter Milan, on Saturday.

Dybala, 24, bagged 11 goals through Juve’s first eight league matches. Juve currently sits third in Serie A, two points back from league leaders Inter.Here’s a look at the rest of the Italian league table, as it stands.

Thanks for giving Wednesday’s News Roundup a look. Check back on Friday morning for the next Roundup.